"Die Hauser"

Lord Janner of Braunstone: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will make representations to the Austrian Government to seek restitution of Egon Schiele's "Die Hauser", currently in the Leopold Foundation in Vienna, to the British heirs of Jenny Steiner.

Baroness Amos: The Government will give active consideration to making representations in this case, when all other available legal avenues of redress have been exhausted.

Afghanistan: Prisoners of War

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have discovered, or will seek to discover, the number of prisoners of war now held in Afghanistan by General Dostum and other military commanders; in particular what number is held in the fortress of Shiberghan; and whether the reputation of the United States and United Kingdom governments will suffer unless all surviving prisoners are brought to trial or released.

Baroness Amos: The British Embassy in Kabul receives periodic updates from the ICRC on prisoners held in Afghanistan by the Afghans. The latest information we have is that Shiberghan currently holds around 1,200 prisoners, half of them Pakistanis. We understand a number of prisoners were released from Shiberghan in February 2002 and some 50 Afghan prisoners were released in mid-January 2003 under a presidential amnesty. The international coalition has no control over prisoners held by Afghan authorities or other Afghan elements, although Her Majesty's Government continue to underline to the Afghan authorities the importance of them fulfilling their obligations under the international human rights instruments to which Afghanistan is party.

United Nations Employees: UK Employment Law

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether employees of the United Nations or any of the subsidiary organisations who are employed mainly or wholly in the United Kingdom are subject to employment law; and, if so, to which parts and why.

Baroness Amos: In general, United Kingdom employment law does not apply to employees of the United Nations or the specialised agencies of the United Nations; those bodies generally have internal regulations relating to employment contracts. The United Nations and specialised agencies have immunity from suit and legal process as set out in the International Organisations Act 1968 and legislation made thereunder.

Government of Ireland Officials: Diplomatic Immunity

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any civil servants of the Irish Republic who work mainly or wholly in Northern Ireland have diplomatic immunity; if so, why; and where they are based.

Baroness Amos: Officials of the Government of Ireland accredited to Irish diplomatic and consular missions in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff enjoy diplomatic and consular privileges and immunities throughout the United Kingdom. Those based primarily in Northern Ireland have not sought such accreditation.

Death of Iain Hook: Israeli Defence Forces' Report

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect the report from the Israeli defence forces into the circumstances of the death of Iain Hook, of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, on 22 November 2002 in Jenin camp; and whether they have seen the related statement by Caoimhe Butterly made on the same day in Jenin Hospital.

Baroness Amos: We understand that the Israeli report is almost complete. We are unable to comment on any statements in connection with this case until we have had time to study fully all the relevant information.

Middle East: Quartet Road-map

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they accept that the 95 to 98 per cent offer by Prime Minister Barak during the Taba talks excluded strategic ring roads and settlement access routes which would have made a Palestinian state unsustainable; and what consequences this will have for the road-map being drawn up by the Quartet.

Baroness Amos: No official record of the Taba talks exists and the Government are unable to confirm the precise details of offers made there.
	A final settlement must provide for a viable Palestinian state to exist alongside Israel, both within secure and recognised borders. The Quartet shares this view, but has not sought to prejudge the precise outcome of territorial negotiations within this framework. We look forward to the Quartet publishing its road-map soon.

DfID's HIV/AIDS Funding in Southern Africa

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	By what methods they have decided to aggregate their HIV/AIDS funding for southern Africa from separate subject headings; and how this total relates to their response to the Global Fund.

Baroness Amos: The Department for International Development has committed, subject to performance, 200 million dollars over five years to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. The contribution made in 2002–03 was £50 million.
	This sum is in addition to the funding that DfID provides for HIV/AIDS interventions in southern Africa. DfID support for HIV/AIDS work in southern Africa is made up of country-specific HIV/AIDS intervention projects (such as support to the South African Universities and Vice Chancellors Association), cross-sectoral programmes (for example, DfID's support to the National AIDS Council in Malawi) and regional initiatives (such as DfID's central and southern Africa regional HIV/AIDS programme). Information on DfID funding for HIV/AIDS is aggregated according to whether spend is primarily HIV/AIDS focused, contains a significant component of HIV/AIDS activity, and if it is a cross-cutting HIV/AIDS intervention.

Criminal Records Bureau: Unpublished Information

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether unpublished information concerning United Kingdom nationals and foreigners resident in the United Kingdom collected by or on behalf of the Criminal Records Bureau remains at all times within the legal jurisdiction of the United Kingdom.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: As part of a package of measures introduced to improve the performance of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), manual inputting of personal information (such as name, date of birth and addresses during the past five years) provided by applicants on their application forms has been outsourced. This work is undertaken at the beginning of the process, and no information drawn from police or other data sources is involved. It is being undertaken on the Indian sub-continent—in common with the IT practice of many other organisations. The contractual provisions make it clear that the processing of data must be in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998, and security and other arrangements must be such that they do not involve a material increase to the risk of misuse of data.

Restorative Justice

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether restorative justice principles are now applied to all offenders aged 18 in England and Wales; and, if not, when they expect that this will be so.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: We are developing restorative justice in appropriate cases for offenders of all ages including 18 year-olds. It is now used widely in youth justice, with a target of use in 100 per cent of referral orders and 75 per cent of youth offending team interventions by March this year. For 18 year-olds and other adults we are piloting its use within police cautioning, community and custodial sentences, including funding three major evaluation projects. We plan to publish a restorative justice strategy paper this year. It will aim to promote best practice and propose how restorative justice can be developed to best effect.

Young Offenders

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 8 November 2001 (WA 1078), what conclusions the Youth Justice Board has reached about providing independent lay representation to detained offenders aged under 18, on lines similar to those applying in Northern Ireland.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Secure training centres (STC) and local authority secure units (LASU) operate good advocacy/representation schemes for all young persons placed there, provided by organisations such as Voice for the Child in Care.
	Young offender institutions, currently rely on Board of Visitors to provide independent representation. However, the Youth Justice Board is also in discussion with the National Youth Advocacy Service about providing a separate pilot advocacy service; and is considering the scope for wider operation in Young Offender Institutions.

Asylum Seekers: Accommodation

Lord Dixon-Smith: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	With regard to the search for property suitable to be used as reception centres for asylum seekers, whether they gave those responsible for briefing agents involved in the search specific instruction concerning consultation with local authorities and other interested parties; and
	With regard to the search for property suitable to be used as reception centres for asylum seekers, whether they consider that any briefing given to agents was both sufficiently clear and understood; and
	With regard to the search for property suitable to be used as reception centres for asylum seekers, whether agents seeking such properties were instructed to reveal to the present owners the purpose for which the property would be used if it were purchased.

Lord Filkin: The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) began a procurement exercise in June last year to find sufficient accommodation to support the induction centre for asylum seekers making their claims in London and the South East. This exercise was conducted in line with standard procurement procedures. The methodology used to evaluate tenders included consultation with the local authority.
	Letters sent to relevant chief executives made it clear that the information about the proposal to use a specific hotel was commercial in confidence and should not be disclosed to persons other than those nominated by the chief executive to provide information about the proposal.
	I am satisfied that members of the procurement section in NASS were aware of the procedure to be followed. NASS staff did not contact current owners of the hotels under consideration. Their contract negotiations were not with the current owner but with a third party. NASS would not be aware of the content of discussions between this third party and the current owner and could not require that the third party notify the current owner of the purpose for which the property would be used.

Policing Methods: EU Member States

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What attempts have been made to harmonise police and special branch interrogation methods within the European Union, and especially between the United Kingdom, France and Belgium; and with what results.

Lord Filkin: Policing methods such as interviewing techniques are the responsibility of individual member states of the European Union and are not the subject of approximation measures. Furthermore, the differing systems of policing in place within individual member states would make any such harmonisation difficult. Different approaches are however no bar to the effective police co-operation which is already in place across the European Union, including the exchange of information obtained during police investigations and exchange of best practice between police forces. Co-operation between police forces will be further enhanced by the provisions of the Crime (International Co-operation) Bill.

Peter Foster: Deportation

Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Downing Street press office in conversations with the Home Office press office about the deportation of Mr Peter Foster either suggested, or implied, either directly or indirectly, that it would be convenient if Mr Foster's removal were accelerated.

Lord Filkin: No.

Hunting Ban: Farmers' Use of Shotguns and Snares

Lord Henley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have considered any evidence that reveals that a significant number of farmers would resort to the use of shotguns or snares in the event of a hunting ban; and whether they have assessed the relative suffering that might occur as a result of these methods of control.

Lord Whitty: My right honourable friend, the Minister for Rural Affairs (Alun Michael) has considered all of the evidence submitted to him as part of the consultation exercise, including the three days of public hearings held in Portcullis House in September.
	The key purpose of the Bill is to prevent cruelty associated with hunting with dogs. To that end it establishes a process which will ensure that hunting is permitted only where it is to be undertaken for a specified pest control purpose and where no other method of achieving that purpose that would cause less suffering is reasonably available. However, the Bill is only about hunting. It does not seek to control all methods of pest control, and does not prevent people using any other method of pest control that is legal including the use of shotguns or other kinds of gun.

Working with Children: Vetting

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What professions which work with young children require vetting of potential employees; and if professional nannies are not included, why not.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Disclosure of criminal records through the Criminal Records Bureau is either required or enabled by legislation for very many occupations which bring professionals into contact with young children during the course of their work.
	There is no requirement for nannies to be vetted through the bureau. However, agencies which supply nannies may register with the bureau and, in that way, they may be vetted in the same way as other childcare workers.

Haemophilia Patients: CMO's Report on Clinical Negligence Claims

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the Chief Medical Officer's report on clinical negligence claims will be published; why it has taken so long to produce; and whether it will provide a fair resolution of the claims of haemophilia patients infected with hepatitis and HIV through contaminated National Health Service blood products.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The issues considered by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, were very complex. There was a need for extensive consultation and review of the relevant published literature and reports. The review focused on clinical negligence. At present, compensation or other financial help to patients is only given when the NHS has been at fault. Ministers do not believe that an exception should be made to that general rule in the case of people with haemophilia infected with hepatitis C. The CMO is working up a comprehensive report for the Government outlining options for reforming the present system for handling clinical negligence claims, which aims to make the system fairer for all those who suffer injury through negligent National Health Service treatment. These proposals are under consideration by Ministers.

NHS: Financial Flows System and Delayed Discharges

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the statement by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 27 January that "the point . . . of the new funding flow system that we shall be introducing into the NHS . . . is that there will not be financial incentives for health . . . authorities to cause real difficulties for the patients involved" (HL Deb, col. 967), whether they will set out in detail how the new funding flow system will provide incentives in respect of the older patients who are the subject of delayed discharge from National Health Service acute or geriatric care; and when the new system will affect such patients.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The new financial flows system for the National Health Service, which introduces a national price tariff, will be phased in from 2003–04. From 2005–06 when over 90 per cent of NHS activity will be covered by the national tariff, we will introduce the rule that a readmission within a specified time period will count as part of the same hospital episode and will not attract additional funding. This will act as a disincentive upon the NHS to do anything that might lead to a patient's readmission.

Personal Injury Claims Management Companies

Viscount Goschen: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What regulatory arrangements govern the operation of personal injury claims management companies.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Those who provide the services which claims management companies organise are regulated by a range of bodies, including the Law Society, the General Council of the Bar, the Financial Services Authority and the General Insurance Standards Council. The Government are currently undertaking a scoping study for a review of the regulatory framework for legal services which will consider whether the review should cover claims management activities.

Personal Injury Claims Management Companies

Viscount Goschen: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any concerns about the business practices, and in particular the marketing techniques, used by personal injury claims management companies; and if so, what action they are taking to address those concerns.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Provided claims management companies and similar organisations act responsibly and with probity they can expand access to justice for people with good claims. While improper approaches to vulnerable people must be a concern, it is of equal importance that people who may have been injured by others' negligence should have access to help in seeking compensation. If individuals are to enforce their rights they need to be aware of the ways in which they can enforce them. Marketing approaches, including advertising, provided it is not misleading or dishonest, assist in raising awareness.
	The Government are keeping under review the emerging market and working with a range of organisations to encourage high and common standards in accident compensation. We would welcome the establishment of a single voice for the claims management sector, particularly one which encompasses common standards.

Euro

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 19 December (WA 165), what powers and prerogatives by the Crown, government and Parliament of the United Kingdom would be transferred to the European Central Bank or other institutions of the European Union in the event of the United Kingdom's accession to the euro currency system.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave him on 1 July 2002 (WA 7).

Muslim-owned Businesses

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are able to estimate the amount of money that has been removed from the United Kingdom in the past year, and its effect on the United Kingdom economy, due to legitimate Muslim-owned businesses sending funds abroad due to the present climate of opinion and events in this country.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from the National Statistician, Len Cook, dated 4 February 2003.
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning outward flows of investment from the United Kingdom made by Muslim-owned businesses. (HL1380).
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not record details of the religion or ethnicity of the owners of assets within the UK's balance of payments estimates. The financial account (which contains the UK's investment flows) presents a sectoral breakdown of transactions, which includes information relating to private corporations. No details concerning the religion of the owners of these corporations are recorded.

Gulf War Illnesses

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the correspondence sent to the Ministry of Defence by Dr Brian Iddon MP relating to the Report of the United States Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses to the Department of United States Veterans Affairs and the response to the report from the Hon. Leo S Mackay, the Deputy Secretary, on 28 October; whether they will place a copy of the correspondence in the Library of the House; and whether they propose to take any action

Lord Bach: My honourable friend Dr Lewis Moonie, the Minister for Veterans Affairs, has written to Dr Brian Iddon MP seeking his approval to place a copy of the correspondence in the Library of the House. I hope to write to the noble Lord again with our assessment as soon as we receive Dr Iddon's approval to do so.

Anthrax Vaccine

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 20 January (WA 79), whether the anthrax vaccine used for troops deployed to the Gulf was licensed in 1990–91; whether the guidelines for its use referred to by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath were in place in 1990–91; if they were in place, why they were not followed; whether any other vaccines administered to troops in 1990–91 had similar limitations on their use; and whether the instructions for the taking of pyridostigmine bromide tablets had and have now any similar limitations regarding their use.

Lord Bach: I will write to the noble Lord and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces: Desert Clothing

Lord Vivian: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On which date units deploying to the Gulf will be allocated the new desert boots, combat jacket and combat trousers which have been ordered.

Lord Bach: Units deploying to the Gulf will be issued with the full desert clothing ensemble in time for any potential operations.

Armed Forces: Single-room Accommodation

Lord Vivian: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Where the new build and refurbishment projects for 16,000 single rooms en suite accommodation will take place: when it will start: and when it will finish.

Lord Bach: The Ministry of Defence awarded the prime contract for Project SLAM to the Birmingham based Debut consortium, led by Bovis Lend Lease and Babcock Services Ltd, on 18 December 2002.
	The contract for SLAM is the first five-year phase of a 10-year programme. It encompasses all ranks across each of the services and will deliver in the order of 16,000 upgraded bed spaces in around 100 projects on the basis of worst first. These will be predominantly single room en suite and will include utility areas, common areas and ancillary accommodation.
	The SLAM prime contract covers the period 2003 until 2007 inclusive. There are 30 projects scheduled to start during the first year of the contract, with first wave programmed to start on site between May and August 2003 and completion from May 2004 onwards. Those projects commenced during 2007 are expected to be completed for occupation some 18 months to two years later.
	In addition, the prime contractor will be required to maintain each individual project following handover for occupation for a further seven years. This is to enable the prime contractor to prove the assumptions made at the design stage in the running of the facilities and to demonstrate value for money and innovation during the maintenance period. (The implication of this is that the last phase of projects completed and handed over for occupation in 2009 will be maintained by the prime contractor until 2016.)
	The table below shows where the new build and refurbishment projects will take place.
	
		PROJECT SLAM, 5 YEAR PROJECT PROGRAMME—LOCATIONS
		
			 Item TLB Establishment Location 
			 1 Army Vimy Barracks Catterick, N Yorkshire 
			 2 Army Helles Barracks Catterick, N Yorkshire 
			 3 Army Alexander Barracks Pirbright, Surrey 
			 4 Army RMAS Sandhurst Camberley, Surrey 
			 5 Army Lichfield Staffordshire 
			 6 Army Middle Wallop Andover, Hampshire 
			 7 Army Bovington Bovington, Dorset 
			 8 Army Rapier Barracks Kirton-in-Lindsey,  N Lincolnshire 
			 9 Army Bourlon Barracks Catterick, N Yorkshire 
			 10 Army Albermarle Barracks Harlow Mill 
			 11 Army Fulwood Barracks Preston, Lancashire 
			 12 Army St David's Barracks Bicester, Oxfordshire 
			 13 Army Invicta Park Barracks Maidstone, Kent 
			 14 Army Dalton Barracks Abingdon, Oxfordshire 
			 15 Army Gamecock Barracks Bramcote, Nuneaton 
			 16 Army Azimghur Barracks Colerne, Wiltshire 
			 17 Army Beachley Barracks Chepstow, Gwent 
			 18 Army Duke of Gloucester Barracks South Cerney, Gloucester 
			 19 Army RAF Odiham (Army) Hook, Hampshire 
			 20 Army Wellington Barracks St James Park, London 
			 21 Army Woolwich Barracks London 
			 22 Royal Navy Culdrose Cornwall 
			 23 Royal Navy CTCRM Lympstone, Exmouth,  Devon 
			 24 Royal Navy RM Poole Poole, Dorset 
			 25 Royal Navy 42 Cdo Bickleigh, Plymouth,  Devon 
			 26 Royal Navy Yeovilton Yeovilton, Ilchester,  Somerset 
			 27 Royal Navy 40 Cdo Taunton, Somerset 
			 28 Royal Navy Chivenor Barnstaple, Devon 
			 29 RAF RAF Boulmer Alnwick,  Northumberland 
			 30 RAF RAF Coningsby Coningsby, Lincolnshire 
			 31 RAF RAF Waddington Lincoln, Lincolnshire 
			 32 RAF RAF Wittering Peterborough,  Cambridgeshire 
			 33 RAF RAF Marham King's Lynn, Norfolk 
			 34 RAF Winterbourne Gunner Salisbury, Wiltshire 
			 35 RAF RAF Honington Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 
			 36 RAF RAF High Wycombe Naphill,  Buckinghamshire 
			 37 RAF RAF Leeming Northallerton,  N Yorkshire 
			 38 RAF RAF Linton-on-Ouse York, N Yorkshire 
			 39 RAF RAF Fylingdales Pickering, N Yorkshire 
			 40 RAF RAF Cottesmore Oakham, Leicestershire 
			 41 RAF RAF Brampton (Wyton Site) Huntingdon,  Cambridgeshire 
			 42 RAF RAF Shawbury Shawbury, Shropshire 
			 43 RAF RAF Swanwick (at Collingwood) Portsmouth, Hampshire 
			 44 RAF RAF Brize Norton Witney, Oxfordshire 
			 45 RAF RAF Valley Holyhead, Gwynedd 
			 46 RAF RAF Innsworth Gloucester, Gloucestershire 
			 47 RAF RAF Cranwell Sleaford, Lincolnshire 
			 48 RAF RAF Lyneham Chippenham, Wiltshire 
			 49 Central RMCS Shrivenham Swindon, Wiltshire 
			 50 Central Harden Barracks Catterick, N Yorkshire 
			 51 DLO DSDA Ashchurch Tewkesbury,  Gloucestershire 
			 52 DLO West Moors Wimborne, Dorset

Employment Relations Act 1999

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to publish the results of their consultation on the operation of the Employment Relations Act 1999.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: We intend to publish a consultation document inviting comments on the review's findings shortly.

Northern Ireland Department of the Environment: Planning Appeals

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the percentage of planning decisions by the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment which were overturned at the subsequent planning appeals for each year since 1997.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The percentage of planning decisions by the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment overturned at the subsequent planning appeal for each financial year since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			 Year Total decisions Number of appeals* Number of appeals upheld* % of total decisions overturned on appeal* % of appeals upheld* 
			 1997–98 17,932 212 102 0.57 48 
			 1998–99 18,245 183 110 0.60 60 
			 1999–2000 19,344 213 100 0.52 47 
			 2000–01 20,467 180 88 0.43 49 
			 2001–02 21,447 222 122 0.57 55 
		
	
	Note: * Appeals relates to appeals under Article 32 of the Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1991.

Provisional IRA

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 22 January (WA 102), whether they consider the Provisional IRA to still be involved in any of the following activities: recruiting, re-arming, training, targeting and punishment beating.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: As I stated in my previous Answer, it is the Government's view that the IRA remains an active paramilitary organisation. In order to achieve the full implementation of the Belfast agreement, all paramilitary organisations must make the commitment to exclusively peaceful means, real, total and permanent.

Northern Ireland Ambulance Service

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are satisfied with the response time standards set for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service; and how the standards compare with those for the rest of the United Kingdom.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The current Northern Ireland Ambulance Service response time targets are set out in the plans to implement the strategic review recommendations. The aim is to achieve staged improvements to bring response times into line with those set for other United Kingdom ambulance services.

Foyle Valley Railway Museum

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 13 January (WA 5) about security measures at Foyle Valley Railway Museum, what are the expected annual costs of the measures.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Although the museum is closed, security of the building has not only been maintained but increased.
	The annual cost of these security provisions is expected to be £5,000.

Congestion Charging

Lord Howell of Guildford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, under powers available to the Secretary of State in paragraph 12 to Schedule 23 to the Greater London Authority Act 1999, the Secretary of State may limit penalty charges payable to people who have found it impossible to contact the authority administering the congestion charge

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Secretary of State does not have such powers. Individuals can make representations to the charging authorities and/or appeal to the adjudicator.

Witham By-pass: Advertising Hoardings

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the advertising hoardings on the side of the Witham by-pass on the A12 have been raised in height; and whether they will arrange for a quarterly photographic record to be made of this site in order to detect any interference with the planting on land belonging to the Highways Agency.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Highways Agency has not been notified of any change in height to the hoardings on the A12 Witham by-pass. They are aware that some of the hoardings were badly damaged in gales last autumn and were re-erected; any alteration in the height of the hoardings would have required planning permission. Inquiries have been made, and Braintree District Council has confirmed that no such application has been made and it is believed that no significant change was made to the height of the hoardings when reconstructed.
	Photographs were taken of the site in November 2002 to compare against those taken in May 2002, and further photographs will be taken in March and May this year, to ensure that the planting is not disturbed during the spring growing season. The site is also visually checked on a weekly basis through routine trunk road inspections.

Road Vehicles: Department of Transport Exercise

Lord Freyberg: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	To whom they have sent the Department for Transport's consultation exercise: Proposed Amendment to the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 and Regulation 37 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The list of people and organisations consulted is at the end of the consultation exercise document. This document can be found in the Libraries of the House.

Public Bodies 2002

Lord Tomlinson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish Public Bodies 2002.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Public Bodies 2002 is the latest in a series of publications providing information on public bodies sponsored by government, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	In addition to giving details about the remit and expenditure of public bodies, the publication also gives information about the number of women, people from minority ethnic backgrounds and people with disabilities who sit on the boards of public bodies. I am pleased to announce that the proportion of those from minority ethnic backgrounds and those with disabilities holding public appointments have increased from 4.8 per cent to 6.2 per cent and from 1.5 per cent to 3.3 per cent respectively, although it is disappointing that the percentage of women holding such appointments, 34 per cent, has remained static. Departments will continue to work hard to encourage increased participation of women on the boards of public bodies.
	Additionally, this year's publication includes information about the Government's task forces, ad hoc advisory groups and reviews. Previously these were reported on separately and to a different timetable. Including this data in one publication gives a more complete picture of the extended bodies and groups working to deliver government objectives.